My thanks to everyone for the fabulous reviews and for your patience. Probably won't be posting again till after xmas. Then again...one never knows with me. You all rock.
The room before them was circular and multi-leveled. It vaguely reminded John of the myriad of staircases in depicted in the Harry Potter movies. But instead of leading to doors the stairs lead to different platforms and, thankfully, the staircases weren't moving.
Deyenne turned to John and was smiling. "Do you like it?"
"It's impressive," John whispered.
"Aye," Carson said, moving to stand beside him. He didn't know that John was replying to Deyenne.
Ronon and Teyla crowded around them.
Teyla looked in awe. "I've never seen anything like this," she said softly.
"That makes all of us, I believe," John teased, then his smile faded and he looked at Deyenne. "Can we look around?"
"Of course. Feel free." She pointed to the highest platform. "Dahvi has prepared everything. All you need to do is touch the main console to power it up."
John nodded then headed for the staircase that would lead him to the center of the room. He felt the other's following him but said nothing until he was on the platform. There was a panel with crystals and the outline of a handprint. Instinct told John to touch it and, sure enough, everything lit up. He pulled his hand away and swayed a bit as dizziness washed over him. He was tired.
Carson was by his side, catching him by the shoulder. "You need to rest, Colonel." He was in full doctor mode at the moment.
"I can rest later, when we're fixed," John replied.
"That's going to take a while," Carson reminded him. "I have to go through the archives and such. You need to rest. Can you...um...can you ask the twins if there's a place you can rest?"
John was surprised by the question. "So now you believe me?"
Carson sighed. "It's not that I haven't' wanted to believe you, Colonel. It's just that it's hard to believe what I can't see. But since you've been talking to thin air since we got here, it's preferable to believe that the twins are there. Otherwise I'd not be able to resist the urge to sedate you and head back to Atlantis."
"Fair enough," John allowed, but he didn't ask about resting quarters. He didn't have too. Deyenne touched his other shoulder.
"I will take you to a resting place," she said. "My parent's quarters are close by. There are rooms for all of you but their room was the biggest."
John wasn't sure how he felt about sleeping in any of the rooms, but he nodded to Deyenne. He didn't want to zonk out but he was dead on his feet and he could feel his knees start to buckle. "There are rooms for all of us," he stated.
Carson looked pleased. "Good. I'll get you settled in then see about finding a starting place back here."
"Wait." John resisted when Beckett tried to pull him away. He had noticed Dahvi at the main console, pointing to a workstation. John pointed to it, drawing Beckett's attention. "I think you'll find what you need over there."
"Oh...good then." Carson looked a bit unsettled, but he settled a neutral expression on his face and said, "Now where are the rooms?"
John pulled away again. "I can get there myself, you need to get to work." The sooner Beckett made the cure, the soon they could all get back to Atlantis. But even as John spoke, his knees began to buckle.
Ronon caught him this time. "I'll take him to his room," he announced, and his tone brooked no argument.
"Good, thank you," Carson said, looking relieved. "And I'd appreciate it if you'd stay with him. Let me know how he's doing."
"I was planning on it," Ronon countered.
John glared at both of them. "I don't need a keeper!" he snapped.
Teyla touched his arm. "We are just concerned," she interjected, trying to keep the peace. "You have been through so much and you need to rest. You will be stronger for it." A gentle reminder to him, but offered with steel undertones that brooked no argument.
"Fine...I'll rest." John knew when to strategically retreat. He turned to Deyenne. "Lead the way." As she moved off he shook free of Ronon's grip and followed her.
"Dahvi will stay with your friends and help them," Deyenne said as the climbed a set of stairs that actually led to an open doorway. Then they walked down a narrow hallway.
John frowned, wondering just how Dahvi was going to accomplish that. "They can't see him," he reminded her.
Deyenne looked over her shoulder and smiled. "He will find a way. Here is the room." She stopped and gestured for John to enter.
"Thanks." He did so cautiously, feeling Ronon hot on his heels. The room was large with one wall taken up by a huge bed. John began shucking his gear. He really was exhausted and Teyla was right. He would be better after a nap. Moving to the bed, John stretched out without unlacing his boots. "Wake me in an hour," John told Ronon, who had taken up residence in a nearby chair.
"Sure," Ronon replied, not meeting John's eyes.
John knew what the other man was thinking. He was going to let him sleep. "That's an order," John stated, and he felt a flare of anger when Ronon merely shrugged. Rolling onto his side with his back facing the big guy, John was a bit startled to see Deyenne sitting beside him.
She reached out to comb her fingers through his hair. "Rest, John," she whispered. "I will watch over you."
A part of him wanted to argue the point, but his weariness was weighing him down and John let his eyelids slide closed. A heartbeat later he was drifting into darkness.
Carson found himself caught up in what he was reading. I certainly appeared as if Dr. Jalene Mars had in fact created the cure for the madness that had killed everyone. And after more study, it appeared that the lab contained everything that Carson would need to recreate the serum. The work itself was fascinating and he could have easily lost himself in it, but Carson reminded himself that he had a job to do. So he pulled himself away from Dr. Mars' journals and notes and began giving Teyla directions on what to do so he could get started.
She eyed him as she went to work. "You seem more relaxed, Dr. Beckett."
"I feel hopeful," he replied. "I think this just might work."
"That is good news." Teyla allowed hope to show on her own face.
Carson nodded. "Aye...it is. How are you feeling, lass? Any feelings like before?" He hadn't felt anything himself, other than a few twitches of anxiety. Which were to be expected.
Teyla shook her head as she moved to retrieve a container full of vials from a nearby shelf. "I feel fine. Do you think Colonel Sheppard is all right? He did not look well."
"I think if anything was seriously wrong at the moment, Ronon would let us know," Carson replied. Truthfully, he was worried about Sheppard, but he knew he needed to keep his focus on the serum right now. For all their sakes.
"You are right," Teyla allowed. "What do you need me to do next?"
Carson gestured to the third level. "Check up there and see if you can find anything that looks like syringes." That said, he reimersed himself in the files. With a bit of luck, this might all be over for them soon and they would be able to return home. To Atlantis.
He felt anxious. He knew he was being watched. Everyone was watching him. He tried to tune them out but they kept creeping closer to him, invading his personal space.
He reached behind him and grabbed a knife. He slashed the air with it, warning them to keep away. But they kept coming. Closer and closer and he backed away until he hit a wall. He was trapped.
Heartbeat thumping against his ribs, it echoed in his ears, drowning out his own pleas to be left alone. When they moved too close he lashed out at them. Slicing into soft flesh, carving death into their skin.
He walked through the river of blood, leaving footprints for the others to follow. He ran now, faster and faster, but he could hear them coming. Calling his name. There was nowhere to run, no place where he could hide.
He turned the knife, pressing the sharp edge to the inside of his forearm. He pressed in deep, dragging the blade over his flesh until it peeled away. Over and over and over again until he was part of the river. Until he was bleeding away.
"SHEPPARD!"
John opened his eyes at the sound of his name, feeling panic clutching at him hard, suffocating him. He felt hands on him, hard fingers gripping his wrists. He looked down and saw the lines of red on his skin. Blood. "No...no!" John tried to break away but the hands held fast. He kicked out hard, again and again and suddenly he was free. He scrambled off the bed and slammed into the wall. He had to escape.
He saw the doorway and the silhouette of a woman. She was calling to him and he had to follow. So he ran as fast as he could, reaching out to her, blood dripping from his arm. He could hear the splatter of each drop hitting the floor. It echoed, too loudly, in skull, making his head ache.
Almost there and something hit him. He thudded to the floor, ribs screaming in pain, his own voice raw and harsh in his throat. A heavy weight pinned him down and John fought against it. He heard a voice shouting. Shouting words that didn't make sense, and he fought harder.
"Beckett...I need you! Sheppard is flipping out!" There was desperation in Ronon's tone as he struggled to keep John pinned to the floor.
"What's going on?" Carson shot back.
Ronon hissed as Sheppard's foot connected with shin and he shifted so he was braced over him, Sheppard's legs now tucked between his own. "I don't know but you need to get in here! Now!" he shouted back.
Carson cursed then replied, "On my way."
"Sheppard." Ronon tried to reason with him, but John continued struggling against him and Ronon was finding it hard to keep his grip on Sheppard's arms since they were slick with blood.
"Bloody hell!" Carson appeared in the doorway. He stared at the sight before him for a moment, then he moved to kneel beside them, rummaging in his doctor's bag. "I'll need to sedate him." He was preparing a syringe.
Ronon grunted then pressed down harder, trying to keep Sheppard as still as possible. "Now would be good," he stated.
Carson nodded then gripped John's shoulder and plunged the needle home. John howled, struggled harder for a moment, then went limp. Carson caught his breath and held it as he checked for a pulse. A bit thready but strong enough. "We need to get him on the bed."
"Sure." Ronon released Sheppard, wiped his hands on his pants then leaned in to gather him in his arms. He lifted Sheppard and carried him to the bed, laying him down gently.
"What happened?" Carson asked, as he shouldered in and began examining Sheppard's arms. The bloody grooves were deep and he saw the skin under the man's fingernails.
Ronon moved to sit in the chair, falling into it heavily. He wiped a forearm over his brow then said, "I don't know. He was sleeping and he got restless. He was turned away from me and I couldn't see what he was doing. But then he started mumbling something and when I rolled him onto his back I saw the blood. Then his eyes opened but he was looking right through me, then he started struggling. He got away and made for the door. I tackled him and called you."
Carson grabbed his bag and pulled out some disinfectant and a roll of gauze. "I'll bind him up and give him an antibiotic, just to play it safe. This is bad though. If he's slipping into madness again...I don't know what I can do to help."
"Maybe the twins can help him," Ronon offered.
"Maybe they could!" Carson snapped. "But how do you suggest we go about asking them when we can't see them?" He didn't mean to take his anger out on Ronon, but Carson was scared and worried. If Sheppard went under on them, he didn't know what chance the rest of them had.
Ronon was unruffled by Beckett's ire. "How are you coming with the serum?"
Carson sighed and counted to ten. He knew he needed to relax. He continued bandaging Sheppard's arms as he replied. "It's moving slowly. I won't have anything viable for a couple of days. It's actually not all that difficult because Dr. Mars's notes are simple and impeccable. But the process is time consuming."
"Do we have the time?" Ronon asked. Being blunt as usual.
"I hope so." Carson studied Sheppard's face. He was pale and so still it was almost frightening.
Ronon stood up and moved to the bed. "Maybe you should put him in restraints."
Carson had been thinking the same thing but he rather hated the idea of having to do so. Then again, they couldn't really run the risk of Sheppard hurting himself or someone else. "See if you can find something."
Ronon's reply was to point to a spot next to where Beckett was standing.
"What the...?" Carson looked down to see straps already attached to the side of the bed. "Convenient," he commented.
Ronon just watched him work.
John knew he wasn't awake, but this didn't felt like dreaming. He knew that Deyenne was with him and that something had happened. He wished he could open his eyes, and yet he didn't need to do that to see her.
"Rest, John," Deyenne whispered, her fingers combing through his hair again. "I am watching over you."
"You're in my head?" He knew it had to be true because neither of them were actually talking out loud. And since he wasn't awake, he wouldn't be anyway.
Deyenne smiled at him. "In a sense...yes. We are connected on a level that is hard to explain."
John glared at her. "Try."
"You would not understand. But you are safe. I want you to be well again, John." Deyenne's fingers continued smoothing his hair as she spoke.
"Something happened." John didn't know what but he was positive something wasn't right.
A soft sigh and Deyenne pulled away from him. "For you to understand what needs to be done to save you all, there are things I must show you. It is difficult for you to separate reality when this happens, but it is necessary. I will guide you through it, John. You must trust me."
John didn't bother to explain to her that he had trust issues stemming back to his childhood. Instead he felt a warm darkness wrapping around him and he drifted into it and away.